Sheet-feeding mechanism



J. WHITE,,DECD.

M. E. WHITE, ADMINISIRATRIX. SHEET FEEDING M ECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21,1920- 1 ,%]L 8 1 2 Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. WHITE, DECD.

E. WHITE. ADMINISTRATRIX;

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM;

APPLICATION FILED APR-21,1920.

| ciE 1. WHITE, DECD.

m. E. WHITE, ADMINISTRATRIX.

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2I,1920.

Patented Apr. EL 1922 3 SHEETS-SHEET s.

ATTYS UNFFED STATES serene castes.

JOSEPH WHITE, OF MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY; MIENNIE E. WHITE, ADMINISTTRH OFSAID JOSEPH WHITE, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO HALL PRINTING PRESS COM- PANY,OE DUNELLEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHEET-FEEDING nine Specification of Letters Patent. IPaftexrntci-BtilApr. iii, li 922= Application filed April 21, 1920. Serial No. 375,553.

. Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to sheet-feeding apparatus in which a pileof sheets is presented to sheet-handling devicesoperating on the topsheet thereof.

As is well understood, in sheet-feeding devices as now in use,sheet-handling mechanisms of various types and designs are arranged topick up and remove the sheets one by one from the top of a pile. Thesemechanisms ordinarily have a plurality of separate devices operating ona. certain portion of the sheet. Ordinarily, the pile is supported insuch fashion as to be raised from time to time to maintain the topthereof at approximately the same elevation.

\Vhile, theoretically, the top of the pile is a level plane, it is foundin practice that there is usually no such condition. Due to variouscauses, the top of a sheet pile usually has small hills and valleys and,moreover, the size and locations of these hills and valleys will changeasthe sheets are withdrawn from the pile and the pile decreases inheight. Ordinarily, the sheet-handling devicesare designed so as tocooperate best with the topmost sheet when the vertical relation betweenthe sheet and the device falls within certain defined lim its.Consequently, it, due to the formation of a hill or a valley beneath oneof these operating devices, this vertical relation is disturbed, it hasbeen heretofore necessary to stop the machine in order to adjust theheight of the operating device. In some instances, the same result hasbeen procured by driving wedges or the like into the sides of the pileso as to raise a portion thereof. This latter arrangement is obviouslgvery crude and is not always successful. loreover, the driv-' ing ofsuch wedges notjonly affects the sheets. above the wedge, but may alsoaffect them below it; so that the removal of these wedges when the havereached nearly the top of the pile discloses acondition in the lowersheets which in turn must be corrected in some fashion by wedges.Furthermore,

the presence of these wedges requires observation on the part of theattendant to insure their withdrawal before the sheets above them havebeen entirely removed.

One of the objects of my invention is to.

provide mechanism by which any 'limited portion of the pile and thesheet-handling device cooperating with such portion, may be brought intoand maintained in correct; operative rrelation, this adjustment beingarranged so that itmay be made and maintained without regard to therelation between any of the other devices and the por tion of the sheetwith which they cooperate.

Another object of my invention is to rovide devices by which anypredetermlned portion of the pile may be raised without affecting theremaining portions by mechanism operated from beneath the pile.

\Vith these and other objects in view, my

invention consists in the arrangements and 7 5.

constructions herein described and more articularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an illustrativeembodimentv of one form of my invention shown as applied to.

a paper-feeding mechanism. forfeeding sheets from the top of sheet pileto a printing press; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the pile support shown inFigure 1; Fig. 3 is a partial elevation, partly in section, of a,portion of an illustrative form of mechanism applicable to thearrangement shown in Figure 1, and Figs. 4 and 5 are elevations, eachpartly in section, of sheet-handling devices adapted to cooperate withthe pile-handling devices shown in Fig. 1. I

In the drawings the same reference characters in the different viewsrefer to the same parts.

- In the'illustrative embodiment of my invention shown in Figure 1,10 isthe frame of a printing press having a cylinder 11 to which the sheetsare carried by tapes 12. At the left of the figure is shown, in more orless diagrammatic fashion, one form of In the sheet-handling mechanismillustrated, 15 is a section sheet separator adapt ed to contact withthe topmost sheet and lift it in the well-known manner, the separatorbeing connected through the hose 1% with a pipe 17 leading to anysuitable suction pump. The; separator 15 is mounted on the head 18 andis raised and lowered by a cam 19 on a shaft 20, acam lever 21 operatingthrough a lifting lever 22 to raise the separator 15 from time to timeand to permit it to drop again. It will be understood that any suitableform of budding device may be associated with; the separator 15.

23 is a feeding-off roller supported in. a lever 24 pivoted at 25 in theend of a lever 26 connected to the shaft 27, this shaft being controlledby a cam 28 on the shaft 20 to move the lever 26 forward to feed off asheet, a spring 29 being provided .to return the lever 26 to originalposition.

The sheet separator and feeding-off devices are of a well-known type,and further description thereof will be unnecessary to those skilled inthe art. It will be understood, however, that ordinarily, only two ofthe separators 15 are provided, each cooperating with one of the rearcorners of the topmost sheet" Three or more of the feedingofl" rollers23 are ordinarily provided, each acting on a portion of the front of thetopmost sheet.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1, the pile of sheets to be fedis supported on a board 30 provided with cross cleats or braces 31,which, in the form shown, rest in turn on channel beams 32, 33extendingacross the machine, the ends'of' these beams in turn beingsupported by lifting bars 34,

'40, the lower end of which, in the mechanism illustrated,- is connectedto any suitable entire-pile-lifting device in the manner well understoodin the art.. The pile support so far described is that of an arrangementold in thetart and further description thereof will be unnecessary. Itwill beunderstood,

however, that the device which controls the cable 40, may be connectedto any of the well-' known forms of pile detectors arranged to contactwith any selected portion of the pile and connected to the mechanism foroperatinf; the cable 40, so that, as the top of the pi is loweredthrough the feeding-off of the successive sheets, the cable 40 will bepulled down from time to time to rotate the shaft 38 so as to pull up onthe cables 36 to raise the entire pile until the top thereof beneath thepile detector is again at the predetermined height. 1

As has been pointed out above, the sheet- .handling devices areordinarily set so as to cooperate with the top of the pile as if thattop were of a uniform level. If, therefore, as the pile is first builtup or as it develops after a number of sheets have been fed off,

approximately beneath the operative position of one ofthe devices of thesheet-handling 'mechanism. In the arrangement shown, I

have provided at the rear of the pile a pair of round plates or supports42 having a stem 43 passingthrough a suitable opening in the board 30,which latter is preferably recessed so that the plate 42 may sinkbeneath the surface of the board. Mounted in the channel beam 32, asshown best in Figure 3, is a vertically movable rod 44 provided with ascrew portion 45 on which is a nut 46, the outer surface of this beingformed as a wormwheel which engages a worm 47 on a cross shaft 48supported in bearings on the channel beam. Also attached to the channelbeam 32 is a bracket 49 containing a solenoid 50 and a movable core 51which is normally held in the position shown in Figure 3 by a spring 52.On the opposite end of the core 51 is a rod 53, the end of which isformed as a pawl adapted to engage a ratchet wheel 54 attached to theshaft 48. The shaft 48, as shown best in Figure 2, is carried out beyondthe end of the board 30 and is provided with a hand wheel 55 by whichthe shaft may be rotated independently of the pawl 53 in eitherdirection. The normal position of the pawl 53 is such that it is clearof the ratchet teeth, as shown in Figure 3. I

The plate 42 at the opposite end of the board is provided with mechanismsimilar to that just described, though, if desired and as indeed will berequired at the front of the board, as will be hereinafter explained,the position of the screw 45 and the nut 46 and shaft 48 will beelevated as shown in Figure 3, so as to prevent any interference betweenthe two mechanisms at eitherside of the On the front of the board, asshown in Figure 2, I have provided three independent supports 421 which,in this instance, are

shown as rectangular and as three in numher. The mechanism for elevatingthese lates is the same as that just described. y arranging the shaft 48on difierent planes, as heretofore explained, and as shown in Figure 3,the center support may be operated by hand from the side of'the board 30without interference with the other mechanisms.

Preferably, each of the sheet-handling devices is provided with anarrangement by which the auxiliary support immediately below it will becontrolled so that the portion of the topmost sheet with which itcooperates, will be maintained in proper working relation with suchdevice. To that end, and as one form of such mechanism, 1 have shown thesheet feeding-off devices 23 as provided with an adjustable screw 55,the end of which, at each stroke of the feedingofl device, passes to apoint where it will contact with a member 56 if any portion of thatmember is in proper vertical relation to the screw 55. The member 56 isfastened to the lower end of a pivoted member 57, the upper end of whichengages in a slide 58, the member 57 being pivoted at 59 on a part ofthe bracket supporting the feeding-0E devite. The slide58 is normallyheld in the position shown in Figure 4; by a spring 60 and carries atits inner end a switch plate 61. It will be understood that thefeedingolf roller 23, in its feeding-0E motion, is

permitted to drop into contact with the topmost sheet, and when, byreason of the successive feeding-off of the sheets, the top of the pilehas fallen far enough to permit the end of the screw 55 to contact withthe member 56, then the member 57 is rotated by this contact to causethe switch plate 61 to move to the right of Figure 4: to contact withthe terminals 62, 63 of an'electric circuit connected to any suitablesource of power. Except in the instance indicated hereinafter, theseterminals are connected to the soleoid 50 of the plate 421 beneath theportion of the pile with which the feedingoff roller 23. coo erates. Itwill be obvious, therefore, that, y reason of a valley devel- 'oping inthe pile at the point at which the roller 23 operates, that portion ofthe pile beneath the roller 23 will be raised by the closing of thecircuit through the terminals 62, 63 and the solenoid 50, by themovingof the core 51 to the right of Figure 3 to turn the ratchet wheel 54 andconsequently, the screw 45, to elevate the plate 421. The plate 421 isof such small area that only a small portion of the-{pile will be thuselevated.

It will be understood that ordinarily each of the plurality offeeding-off rollers 23 usually provided will be thus connected with acorresponding auxiliary support. If desired, however, one of thesefeeding-0d rollers may be used to control the entire pile-elevatingmechanism operated through the usual pile-elevating devices which, inthe instance shown, operate to turn the shafts 38 on either side of thepile. If desired, however, the devices just described may be used onlyto control the auxiliary supports under each of the feeding-off rollers,in which case the entire-pile-lifting devices will be controlled by anyof the well-known pile detectors cooperating with any selected portionof the pile to maintain the average height of the top of the pilesubstantially constant.

In Figure 5 is shown a similar arrangement by which the portion of thepile be-- neath a separator 15 may be controlled. In this case, a switchplate 65 is attached to the stem 66 of the suction separator, and a pairof terminals 67, 68 are arranged to be contacted by this switch platewhen the suc-' tidn separator 15, in dropping to the top of the pile,descends far enough to permit the plate 65 to close the-circuit throughthese terminals. These terminals in turn are in a power circuitconnected to one of the solenoids 50 to operate one of the plates 42beneath the portion of the pile contacted by the separator 15, and thatportion of the pile will be suitably elevated, as hereinbeforedescribed, if for any reason that ortion of the pile should develop alow p ace below the average level of the pile maintained by theentire-pile-lifting devices. As is well understood in the art, thefeeding devices are driven from the press mechanism, as through thechain 70, the shaft 20 in the illustrative embodiment being turnedthrough the gears 71, 72 on the vertical shaft 73. l

The operation of my novel mechanism will'be obvious from the foregoingdescription. The sheets are piled on the board 30 and before the feedingis commenced, the respective portions of the top of the pile, bymanipulation of the handles 55, may be brought into proper cooperativerelation with the several devices constituting the sheet-handlingmechanism. Then, as the sheets are fed olf one by one, theentirepilelifting device controlled either by the usual sheet detector,or by a detector connected to one of the feeding-0d rollers 23, willraise the entire pile fromtime to time to maintain the average height ofthe top of the pile substantially constant. If, for any reason, however,any portion beneath any one of the devices should not be liftedsufficiently to maintain the proper relation between that portion andthe corresponding device, the corresponding auxiliary support 42 will beraised sufficiently to bring that portion of the pile to the properheight.

While I have shown an arrangement by which portions of the pile will belifted to maintain proper working relations between 1 each device andthe-pile, it will be understood that each feeding device may be arrangedto be lowered or raised as the conditions may require, so as to maintainthe proper working relation, and I do not wish to be limited to thespecific arrangement which I have illustrated.

WVhile l have shown the auxiliary supports as small rigid plates, it maybe desirable for some purposes, particularly so as not to form a toodecided bend in the paper,

to make these supports of thin flexible plates which will yield at theirouter edges to conform to the curvature of the paper. It will be alsounderstood that as many of these auxiliary supports may be provided asdesired, and that their shape and size may also be varied within Widelimits. They should, however, be such that, when raised, they willaffect less than half of the area of the pile; otherwise, it would bepossible that the portion of the pile beneath another of the operatingdevices would be affected in addition to the portion beneath the devicewhich is out of proper working relation.

It will also be understood that the main platform on which the entirepile is sup-' ported may be of any suitable construction, and that thearrangement of board and channels which I have shown, is merelyillustrative. While, for most purposes, I provide a board or itsequivalent which is capable of supporting the entire pile, it will beobvious that a sufficient number of the small supports may be providedto support the entire pile,

While, preferably,'1 connect the mechanism for raising the auxiliarysupports to the platform which supports the entire pile,

it will be understood that, if desired, such mechanism may be located inthe base of the machine so as to be entirely independent of the pileplatform. I

While, preferably, I employ auxiliary supports that are movablevertically, it is obvious that similar results may be obtained byproviding supports, such as wedges which may be moved laterally to givea lifting component to the portion of the pile under which they areinserted and I do not wish to be limited to the vertically. movablesupports which are my preferred form.

Although l. have illustrated and described a particular kind of suctionseparator and a particular kind of pusher feeder as parts of thepaper-handling mechanism, it will be understood that these are merelytypical and illustrative of the devices ordinarily used in removing thetop sheet. lln addition to such devices, buckling devices, hold-downdevices and air pipes to blow air into the sides of the pile or beneaththe top sheet may be and are used in practice, and it will be understoodthat, if desired, such devices, when used, may also be arranged so thatthe relation between any one of them and the portion of the pile withwhich they cooperate aramie may be adjusted and regulated, in the manner described for the suction separator and the feeding-off rollers.

ll claim 1. A sheet pile carrier, means to lift said carrier bodily anda support beneath the pile movable independently of said carrier andadapted to lift less than half of the area of the pile to any selectedposition either above, below, or the same as, the level of the remainderof the pile and hold the same in such selected position.

2. A sheet pile carrier including a movable support adapted to lift lessthan half of the area of the pile, means to lift the entire pile carrierand means to move said support relatively to said carrier to lift aportion only of the pile and to hold such portion in selected position.

3. A substantially horizontal sheet pile carrier adapted to support apile of sheets arranged one over the other so that the edges of the pileare substantially vertical, said carrier comprising a plurality ofsupports independently adjustable vertically and each adapted to liftless than half of the area of the pile.

4. A substantially horizontal sheet pile carrier adapted to support apile of sheets the area of the pile, and mechanism adapted to move eachsupport independently of the others.

5. A sheet pile carrier comprising a plurality of independentlyadjustable supports, each adapted to lift less than half of the area ofthe pile, and automatic mechanism.

constructed and arranged to move each support independently of theothers to maintain the level of the pile over each support at apredetermined height.

6. A sheet pile carrier comprising a plurality of independentlyadjustable supports, each adapted to lift less than half of the area ofthe pile, automatic mechanism constructed and arranged to .move eachsupport independently of. the others to maintain the level of the pileover each support at a predetermined height, and hand operable mechanismWhereby each support may be adjusted independently of said automaticmechanism.

7. A sheet pile carrier comprising a plurality of independentlyadjustable supports, each adapted to lift less than half of the area ofthe pile, mechanism adapted to move each support independent-1y of theothers, and means to simultaneously. 8. A sheet ile carrier comprising aplatform adapted to support the entirev pile move all of said supports.

means to lift said platform bodily and a support on said platformnwvablerelatively thereto and adapted to lift positively less than half of thearea of the pile.

9. A sheet pile carrier comprising a platform adapted to support theentire pile means to lift the platform bodily and a support on saidplatform and movable relatively thereto and adapted to lift less thanhalf of the area of the pile, and mechanism on said platform to movesaid support positively.

' 10. A sheet pile carrier comprising a platform adapted to support theentire pile and a support on said platform and movable relativelythereto and adapted to lift positively less than half of the area of thepile, and mechanism to lift said platform.

11. A sheet pile carrier comprising a board adapted to support theentire pile means to lift the board bodily and an auxiliary pile supporthaving an area less than that of said board and movable independentlythereof to control the level of the top of the pile, positively saidsupport being located within the area of said board.

12. A sheet pile carrier comprising a board adapted to suppqrt theentire pile means to lift the board bodily and an auxiliary pile supporthaving an area less than that of said board and movable independentlythereof and located within the area of said board, and mechanism adaptedto move said support positively.

13. A sheet pile carrier comprising aboard adapted to support the entirepile and an auxiliary pile support having an area less than that of saidboard and movable independently thereof and located within the area ofsaid board, supports for said board means to lift said supports bodilyand mechanism on said supports and adapted to move said auxiliary pilesupport positively.

14. Sheet-handling mechanism, comprising a plurality of devicesoperating on different portions of the top of a pile of sheets, means toadjust the vertical operative relation between the operative portion ofeach of said devices and the portion of the pile with which itcooperates, independently of the relation between any of the others ofsaid devices and their respective portions of the pile, and automaticmeans to maintain such adjusted relation. p

15. Sheet-handling mechanism, compris ing a plurality of devicesoperating on different portions of the top of a pile of sheets, andmeans to maintain a. predetermined vertical operative relation betweenthe operative portion of each. of said devices and the portion of thetop of the pilewith which it cooperates, as the sheets are removed fromthe pile.

16. Sheet-handling inechanism, comprising a plurality of devicesoperating on different portions of the top of a pile of'sheets,

and automatic means to maintain a predetermined vertical operativerelation between the operative portion of each of said devices and theportion of the top of the pile with which it cooperates, as the sheetsare removed from the pile.

17. Sheet-handling mechanism, comprising a plurality of devicesoperating on different portions of the top of a pile of sheets and meansto maintain the average level 0 the top of the pile at a predeterminedheight and also a predetermined vertical operative relation between theoperative portion of each of said devices and the portion of the top ofthe pile with which it cooperates, as the sheets are removed from thepile.

18. Sheet-handling mechanism, comprisportion of the top of the pile withwhich it cooperates, as the-sheets are removed from the pile. a

19. A sheet pile carrier including a vertically movable support adaptedto lift less than half of the area of the ile, means to remove thesheets one at a. tlme from the top of the pile, comprising devicesadapted to'cooperate with different portions of the topmost sheet, means'to lift the entire pile to maintain a predetermined operative relationbetween 'a portion of the top of the, pile and the operative portion ofone of said devices, and means to liftsaid support independently of saidcarrier to maintain a predetermined operative relation betwee'n anotherportion of the top of the pile and the operative portion of another ofsaid devices. 20. A sheet pile carrier, means including a plurality ofdevices operating on different portions of the topmost sheet, to removethe sheets one at a time from the top of a pile on the carrier, means tolift the entire pile to maintain the average level of the top of thepile at a predetermined height as the sheets are removed and means tolift the portion-of the pile beneath one of said devices to maintain thetop of said portion in a predetermined operative relation to theoperative portion of said device said last-named means operatingindependently of said entire-pilelifting means.

21. A sheet pile carrier, automatic means including a plurality ofdevices operating on difi'erent portions of the topmost sheet to re movethe sheets one at a time from the top of a pile on the carrier, means tolift the entire pile to maintain the average level of the top of thepile at a predetermined height as the sheets are removed and automaticmeans to lift the portion of the pile beneath one-'"oflso said devicesto maintain the top of said portion in a predetermined operativerelation to the operative portion of said device, said lastnamed meansoperating independently of said entire-pile-lifting means.

'22. Sheet-handling mechanism, compris ing a plurality of devicesoperating on different portions of the top of a pile of sheets, aplurality of independent supports each located beneath the pile andbeneath one of said devices, and means to lift each of said supports tomaintain each portion of the pile in a predetermined operative relationwith the operative portion of the device cooperating with such-portionof the pile.- 1

23. Sheet-handling mechanism, comprising a plurality of devicesoperating on different portions of the top of a pile of sheets, aplurality of independent supports each located beneath the pile andbeneath one of said devices, and automatic means to lift each of saidsupports to maintain each portion of the pile in a predeterminedoperative relation with the operative portion of the devicecooperatingwith such portion ot' the ile. p 24. A sheet pile carriercomprising a platform adapted to support the entire pile and a supporton said platform and vertically movable relatively thereto and adaptedto lift less than half of the area of the pile, a sheethandling deviceabove the pile and over said support, and automatic means to move saidsupport to maintain a predetermined operative relation between theoperative portion of said device and the portion of the pile with whichit cooperates.

25. A sheet pile carrier comprising a platform adapted to support theentire pile and a support on said'platform and vertically movablerelatively thereto and adapted" to lift less than halt of the area ofthe pile, a sheet-handling device above the pile and over said support,electrically operable mechanism on said platform adapted to move saidsupport, a switch adapted to be closed when the distance between theoperative portion of said device and the portion of the pile exceeds apredetermined amount and a circuit including sald switch and saidmechansim.

26. A sheet pile carrier comprising a plurality of independentvertically movable sup ports each adapted to support less than half ofthe area of the pile, sheet-handling mechanism above the pile andadapted to remove sheets one by one therefrom, said mechanism comprisinga plurality of devices each arranged to cooperate with a limited portionof the top" of the pile above one of sald supports and means to moveeach of said devices and the support beneath it relatively to maintainin a predetermined operative vertical relation the operative portion ofeach of said devices and the portion of the pile with which itcooperates.

27. A sheet pile carrier comprising a plurality of independentvertically movable supports each adapted to support less than half ofthe areaof the pile, sheet-handling mechanism above the pile and adaptedto remove sheets one by one therefrom, said mechanism comprising aplurality of devices each arranged to cooperate with a limited portionof the top of the pile above one of said supports and automatic means tomove each of said devices and the support beneath it relatively tomaintain in a predetermined operative vertical relation the operativeportion of each of said devices and the portion of the pile with whichit cooperates.

28. sheet pile carrier comprising a plurality of independent verticallymovable supports each adapted to support less than half anism above thepile and adapted to remove sheets one by one therefrom, said mechanismcomprising a plurality of devices each arranged to cooperate with alimited portion of the top of the pile above one of said supports andmeans to move each of said devices and the support beneath it relativelyto maintain in a predetermined operative vertical relation the operativeportion of each of said devices and the portion of the pile with whichit cooperates, said means including an electric circuit and a switchadapted to close said circuit when the distance between the device andthe portion or the ile with which it cooperates exceeds a pre etermineddistance.

